REPS LAUNCH PROBE INTO OIL SECTOR DECOMMISSIONING COMPLIANCE
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The House of Representatives has inaugurated an ad hoc committee to investigate how petroleum companies are complying with decommissioning and abandonment rules under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, represented at the event, said the probe is crucial to protect the environment, safeguard host communities, and ensure proper management of aging oil and gas assets. He urged regulators and operators to fully cooperate.
Committee Chairman Bassey Akiba said abandoned or poorly decommissioned facilities pose environmental, economic, and safety risks. He summoned the CEOs of NUPRC and NMDPRA after their representatives failed to provide key documents required for the investigation. The CEOs must appear personally or send fully authorized officials.
Akiba added that the PIA outlines clear responsibilities for safe facility retirement, environmental remediation, and proper management of decommissioning funds. The committee will also engage host communities, operators, experts, and civil society groups as the probe continues.